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Armstrong by Bill Bailey |
See-Saw |
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Lisa Morford |
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Face
by Rachel Busnardo |
She stands, alone in the park at sundown, clasping her arms against her chest in the crisp autumn air. The grass beneath her feet is green, though she finds herself wondering if it is greener anywhere else. Before her: two boys on a see-saw, oblivious to her presence. As the wistful breeze softly sweeps her dark hair across her face, she watches, in silence. Up and down, up and down, first one boy gaining the advantage and then the other. She smiles, softly, inwardly, each time one boy reaches the top. She is equally happy for them both, sensing the exhilaration each must feel as he soars high above the world. And she is sad, too, feeling their disappointment as they come swooping back down to reality. Who is she rooting for to win? She's not really sure; in fact, she doesn't even know if there is a winner of see-saw, or how one would come to calculate the points if it is possible to win. Still, she watches, contemplating, uncertain of herself and her thoughts. The boys are laughing, each in their own world, each enjoying the experience in different ways. Teeter. Totter. Teeter. Totter. The hinges squeak and squeal, interrupting the quiet of this autumn day. The aching breeze taunts the red and yellow leaves of the trees and the dark strands of her hair. She is not cold, but she hugs herself tightly; perhaps out of habit, or maybe just for comfort. The boys teeter, totter, teeter, totter; up, down, up, down. Her heart is heavy. She tries to walk away; turn around and never look back. But she is rooted to the spot, watching, reflecting. Up. Down. A tear slips from her eye and stains her cheek, glistening in the amber sunlight. It doesn't matter who is on top; for, just as quickly as they reach the top, they come right back down to where they started. It hits her then. There isn't a winner. Their beaming faces reveal that they don't know this; this only serves to break her heart. She tries to turn away, but she is held there, mesmerized, by an invisible and uncontrollable force. The vision in front of her echoes with questions, and those questions will haunt her forever. | |
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Chang
Wei's Mistake by Mary Charles |
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Zas
Tannhauser by Jeff Clarke |
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The
Secret Life of Sandi Beech by Victoria Cole |
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The
Only Way by Kevin Colpean |
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The
Collection by Jim Elliot |
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The
Last Strip by Crystal Evans |
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Sunday
Morning by Jesiah L. Foltz |
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Kitten
Blue by Wes Heid |
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The
Hurricane by Jennifer Jordon |
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A
Wake for Change by Amie Keller |
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The
Dinner Party by Megan Liscomb |
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Spinning
Like a Button on the Outhouse Door by Jack Mawhinney |
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Bad
Weather by Emily Miller |
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The
Seagull by Brendan Mitchell |
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Lessons
to Hold Onto by Adam Morales |
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Sic
Semper Tyrannosaurus by Gabe Morales |
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See-Saw by Lisa Morford |
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Mr.
Rockwell’s Clock by John Ray First Place Winner, Fiction |
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Thurston's
Haze by Kelsey Rothenay |
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Coyote
Shivers by Fallon Rusing |
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Inhaling
Thrills by Alexandra Ryan |
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Famous
Last Words by Matt Schnarr |
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Learning
to Inhale Solids by Brittney Steele Second Place Winner, Fiction |
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Moonlight/Magnolias by Nolan Turner Editor’s Choice, Fiction |
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How
to Become a Supervillian by Philip Wright |
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A
Peon’s Holiday by Ingebritt Ziegler |